Pull out guide assembly for drawers

ABSTRACT

A pull-out guide assembly for drawers, having on both sides of the drawer a support rail on the carcass and a pull-out rail on the drawer. The load of the drawer is transmitted between the rails by rollers that are borne in running carriages. The running carriages may be moved between a front end position and a rear end position in differential manner. Locking means are provided for the running carriages and, in the event of a deviation from the differential running between the rails, they lock the running carriage on one of the rails at predetermined points between the two end positions. This locking is releasable by the movement of the rails with respect to one another.

BACKGORUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a pull-out guide assembly for drawers, havingon both sides of the drawer a support rail on the carcass, and apull-out rail on the drawer with the load of the drawer beingtransmitted between the rails by rollers that are borne in runningcarriages running between the rails between a front end position and arear end position in differential manner, with the running carriagesbeing provided with locking means.

As a result of the slip between the rollers and the guide profiledsections of the rails, it is not always guaranteed that, when the draweris pulled or and pushed in, the running carriages will cover exactlyhalf the distance of the pull-out rails. This gives rise to so-calledcarriage running errors, in other words the position of the runningcarriages in relation to the support rails and pull-out rails is notcorrect. Carriage running errors of this kind can in some cases resultin the drawer staying open in normal use.

Carriage running errors are not new; they occur repeatedly with pull-outguide assemblies in which the load of the drawer is transmitted byrollers which are not borne on the rails but in separate runningcarriages. If the drawer is only moved manually, these errors are inmany cases not noticed. If the drawer is pulled into the final closedposition by a conventional closing system having springs, in most casesthere is sufficient momentum for the carriage running error to becorrected by the dynamic of the drawer and for the drawer always toclose.

In modern pull-out guides for drawers, closing devices are provided thatare additionally equipped with a damping means so that the drawer is notpulled into the furniture carcass with too much force. However, thesedamping means reduce the closing dynamic of the drawer such that acarriage running error occurring while the drawer is moving can nolonger be compensated because there is insufficient momentum at themovement.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to improve the pull-out guide assembly ofthe type mentioned at the outset such that the carriage running errorsare corrected and hence correct closing of the drawer is achieved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object according to the invention is achieved in that, in the eventof a deviation from the differential running between the rails and therunning carriages, the locking means lock the running carriages on oneof the rails at predetermined points between their two end positions,with this locking being releasable by the movement of the rails withrespect to one another.

An example embodiment of the invention provides for each runningcarriage to be provided with two locking means that lock the runningcarriage in opposing directions.

Advantageously, in this case it is provided for the locking means to beformed by levers that are mounted rotatably on the running carriages.The levers are preferably constructed as double-arm levers.

A further example embodiment of the invention provides for the lockingmeans to be formed by resilient arms that project horizontally from therunning carriages in the direction of movement, for the arm of a runningcarriage to abut against a stop of a rail on locking, and for in eachcase a second rail to be provided with a counter-stop that abuts againstthe projecting arm of the running carriage on locking and so preventsdeflection of the arm with respect to the stop on the first rail.

A further example embodiment of the invention provides for the lockingmeans to be formed by rockers that are borne tiltably on the runningcarriages and have two stop faces that abut against a stop of one of therails in the event of a running carriage deviating from the differentialrunning between the rails.

In a further embodiment of the invention a central a central rail isarranged between said support rail and said pull-out rail with a runningcarriage running between said support rail and said central rail andanother running carriage running between said central rail and saidpull-out rail.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be better understood from the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a view of a cabinet-like piece of furniture that isequipped with pull-out guide assemblies according to the invention;

FIG. 2 a shows diagrammatically one side of a pull-out guide assemblyhaving a pull-out rail, a running carriage and a support rail, in whichthe pull-out guide assembly is shown in the closed position;

FIGS. 2 b to 2 d show side views of the pull-out guide assembly in whichthe pull-out rail is shown in various intermediate positions, with aleading running carriage shown;

FIG. 2 e shows a side view of the pull-out guide assembly, in which thepull-out rail is shown in the fully extended position of the draw;

FIGS. 3 a to 3 e show the same side views as FIGS. 2 a to 2 e, with alagging running carriage shown;

FIGS. 4 a to 4 e show side views of the pull-out guide assembly invarious positions, with the running carriage shown with two levers,

FIG. 5 shows a cross-section through an example embodiment of a pull-outguide assembly,

FIGS. 6 a to 6 f show side views of a further example embodiment of apull-out guide assembly according to the invention, in variouspositions,

FIG. 7 shows an end view of a further example embodiment of a pull-outguide assembly according to the invention,

FIG. 8 shows a view of a further example embodiment of a runningcarriage according to the invention,

FIG. 9 shows a cut-away diagram of a rocker,

FIG. 10 shows a view of a running carriage according to the invention,in which one wall has been cut away to show the rocker,

FIG. 11 shows a view of a rocker,

FIG. 12 shows a further view of a rocker,

FIGS. 13 a to 13 e show diagrammatic side views of a pull-out guideassembly according to the invention in the region of the runningcarriage, in which the pull-out rail is moved to the right and an idealmovement sequence with no carriage running errors is shown,

FIGS. 14 a to 14 e show a purely diagrammatic side view of a pull-outguide fitting according to the invention in the region of the runningcarriage, in which the pull-out rail is moved to the left and once againan ideal movement sequence with no running carriage errors is shown,

FIGS. 15 a to 15 e show a purely diagrammatic side view of a pull-outguide assembly according to the invention in the region of the runningcarriage, in which the pull-out rail is moved to the right and amovement sequence with carriage running errors is shown,

FIGS. 16 a to 16 e show a purely diagrammatic side view of a furtherexample embodiment of a pull-out guide fitting according to theinvention in the region of the running carriage, in which the pull-outrail is moved to the left and a movement sequence with carriage runningerrors is shown,

FIGS. 17 a to 17 e show a diagrammatic side view of a pull-out guideassembly according to the invention in the region of the runningcarriage, in which the pull-out rail is moved to the left and a movementsequence with carriage running errors is shown.

FIG. 18 shows a diagrammatic side view of a pull-out guide assemblyaccording to the invention in which a central rail is provided, therails being shown in their rearmost position, and

FIG. 19 shows a diagrammatic vie of the pull-out guide assembly of FIG.18, the rails being shown in their foremost position.

DESCRIPITON OF THE SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

Only one side of a pull-out guide fitting will be described each time,as arranged on one side of the drawer. The opposite side is of analogousconstruction.

The pull-out guide assembly according to the invention may beconstructed as a simple pull-out guide assembly having on each side ofthe drawer a support rail 1 on the carcass and a pull-out rail 2 on thedrawer, but may also be constructed as a differential pull-out means, inwhich case a central rail 27 is arranged on each side of the drawerbetween the pull-out rail 2 and the support rail 1.

In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2 to 17, the pull-out guide assemblycomprises on each side of the drawer a support rail 1 on the carcass anda pull-out rail 2 on the drawer, with a running carriage 3 arrangedbetween the rails 1, 2 serving as a cage for rollers 4.

In the example embodiments, the rollers 4 are constructed as cylindricalrolls. However, they may equally be constructed as balls, and equally arunning carriage 3 may be equipped with a combination of balls androlls.

In the example embodiment according to FIGS. 2 to 5, the runningcarriage 3 is provided in its center with two double-arm levers 6 thatare tiltable about a horizontal axis pin 5 and serve as locking means.The levers 6 are acted upon by pressure springs 7.

In FIGS. 2 a to 2 d and 3 a to 3 d, for the sake of better clarity, onlyone of the levers 6 coming into operation in one direction on locking isshown on the running carriage 3 in each case.

FIGS. 2 a to 2 e show the situation with a leading running carriage 3.That is the running carriage 3 is too far in front with respect to therails 1, 2. When the pull-out rail 2 is moved into the furniture carcass(from left to right; figures in the order 2 e to 2 a), the leadingrunning carriage 3 runs along with the pull-out rail 2 until the lever 6abuts against the stop 8 of the support rail 1 by means of its hook,which is constructed on the free end, and is caught there. The runningcarriage 3 is locked at this point, while the pull-out rail 2 continuesto move into the furniture carcass, in relation to the running carriage3 and the support rail 1.

A stop 9 is constructed on the pull-out rail 2. When the stop 9 comes upagainst the upper end of the lever 6, the pull-out rail 2 is in thecorrect position relative to the running carriage 3. The lever 6 istilted clockwise and locking of the running carriage 3 against the stop8 is released, whereupon the running carriage 3 moves into the endposition with precise differential movement between the pull-out rail 2and the support rail 1.

In cases in which the pull-out rail 2 is moved into its final endposition by a relatively weak pull-in device, such as a pull-in devicehaving a damping means, the running carriage 3 does not constitute anyobstacle.

FIGS. 3 a to 3 e show the situation with a lagging running carriage 3.That is the running carriage 3 is too far behind with respect to themovement of the pull-out rail 2. Once the pull-out rail 2 has beenbrought into the position shown in FIG. 3 d when the drawer is pushedin, the running carriage 3 is so far behind that the pull-out rail 2latches into the hook-like end of the lever 6 by means of the hook 10thereof. When the pull-out rail 2 is moved into the position shown inFIG. 3 c, it carries the running carriage 3 along with it, in otherwords the running carriage 3 does not travel in differential mannerbetween the pull-out rail 2 and the support rail 1 but is moved on atthe same speed as the pull-out rail 2.

As soon as the pull-out rail 2 and the running carriage 3 have reachedthe position shown in FIG. 3 b, the lever 6 abuts by means of its lowerend against the stop 11 of the support rail 1 and is uncoupled from thestop 10 of the pull-out rail 2. In the next section of the push-intravel, the running carriage 3 runs correct by differential between thepull-out rail 2 and the support rail 1. Once again, there is no brakingaction acting on the pull-out rail 2.

As can be seen from FIG. 5, the two levers 6 are arranged on one side ofthe running carriage 3. The stops 8, 9, 10 and 11 are constructed onhorizontal webs 2′, 1′ of the pull-out rail 2 and the support rail 1,and are laterally offset with respect to the rollers 4. Both when therunning carriage 3 is leading and when the running carriage 3 is laggingthe position of the running carriage 3 is corrected before it reachesthe end region of the push-in travel. At this point, the pull-out rail 2is still being pushed into the carcass, or moved with momentum, by theperson using the drawer. The relatively weak pull-in device is not yetengaged at this time. The pull-in device is only engaged in the endregion of the pull-in travel, and the running carriage 3 is then in thecorrect position.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. 6 a to 6 f, the locking means forthe running carriage 3 is formed by a horizontal arm 12 projecting inthe direction of displacement of the running carriage 3. The arm 12 isprovided with a lug 13 at its free end.

The support rail 1 has a stop 14 at the front and the pull-out rail 2has a stop 15. If the drawer and hence the pull-out rail 2 are pushedout of the extended position shown in FIG. 6 f into the furniturecarcass, the running carriage 3 runs at first differentially between thepull-out rail 2 and the support rail 1. If the running carriage 3 leads,as shown in FIGS. 6 a to 6 f, the lug 13 abuts against the stop 14 whilethe stop 15 of the pull-out rail 2 is still above the arm 12. The stop15 thus prevents the resilient arm 12 from being able to be deflected bythe stop 14.

While the pull-out rail 2 is being pushed further into the furniturecarcass, the running carriage 3 is locked by the stop 14 and remainsstationary on the support rail 1.

As soon as the stop 15 of the pull-out rail 2 is moved out over the arm12, as shown in FIG. 6 c, the arm 12 can be deflected by the stop 14 bymeans of the lug 13, whereupon the running carriage 3, which is now inthe correct position in relation to the pull-out rail 2, is moved ondifferentially between the pull-out rail 2 and the support rail 1.

In the example embodiments according to FIGS. 7 to 17, the runningcarriage 3 is provided in its center with a rocker 17 that can tiltabout a horizontal axis pin 18 and serves as a locking means for therunning carriage 3.

The pull-out rail 2 is provided in the upper horizontal web 2′ with anopening 50 that serves as a deflection means. The support rail 1 has atab 19 that projects laterally from a vertical web 1′ and forms a stopfor the rocker 17.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. 9 to 16, the rocker 17 isconstructed in two parts and has a part 20 that is borne directly on theaxis pin 18, preferably snapped onto the latter, and a part 21 that isborne on the part 20 such that it can tilt about an axis pin 24. Theparts 20, 21 each have a stop face 22, 23. A spring 16, preferably a legspring, is borne in the rocker 17 and tilts the part 21 upward inrelation to the part 20.

FIGS. 13 a to 13 e show an ideal movement sequence with no carriagerunning errors, in which the pull-out rail 2 is moved to the right. Therunning carriage 3 is also moved to the right, and the rocker 17 abutsagainst the stop of the support rail 1, this stop being formed by thetab 19. This movement turns the rocker 17 clockwise. During this theupper part 21 of the rocker 17 comes into the opening 50 in the pull-outrail 2, and as the pull-out rail 2 is moved further to the right therocker 17 is turned clockwise until the upper part 21 of the rocker 17moves down out of the opening 50 (FIGS. 13 d, 13 e). The interactionbetween the tab 19, the opening 50 and the rocker 17 is ideal. Nocorrection of the running carriage 3 is performed, in other words thereis no correction of the position of the running carriage 3 in relationto the rails 1, 2.

FIGS. 14 a to 14 e also show a movement sequence with no runningcarriage errors, in which the pull-out rail 2 is moved to the left. Therocker 17 of the running carriage 3 once again comes up against the tab19, and the rocker 17 is turned counterclockwise, with the upper part 21of the rocker 17 turned to come into the opening 50 of the pull-out rail2. The interaction of the tab 19, the opening 50 and the rocker 17 isonce again ideal. No correction of the movement of the running carriage3 is performed. The running carriage 3 runs precise differentiallybetween the pull-out rail 2 and the support rail 1.

FIGS. 15 a to 15 e show a movement sequence with a carriage runningerror, in which the pull-out rail 2 is moved to the right. The edge 26of the opening 50 comes up against the stop face 22 of the rocker 17.The rocker 7 cannot, however, tilt away downward because of the tab 19on the support rail 1. This has the result that the running carriage 3is fixed to the pull-out rail 2 and moves with the pull-out rail 2 atthe same speed until the rocker 17 can tilt down over the end of the tab19 (FIG. 15 c). FIGS. 15 d and 15 e show the running carriage 3 in thecorrected position.

FIGS. 16 a to 16 e show a movement sequence with a carriage runningerror, in which the pull-out rail 2 is moved to the left.

In FIG. 16 b, the rocker 17 is in contact with the tab 19 forming thestop of the support rail 1, and the rocker 7 begins to turncounterclockwise. This rotation is possible, despite the incorrectposition of the running carriage 3, since the rocker 17 is constructedin two parts and the upper part 21 of the rocker 17 can tilt withrespect to the lower part 20 of the rocker 17. There is no correction ofthe movement of the running carriage 3.

With this construction, it is possible to choose whether a correction ofthe running position of the carriage 3, when a carriage running erroroccurs (error in the position of the running carriage 3 in relation tothe rails 1, 2), is to be performed only when the drawer is opened oronly when the drawer is closed. Generally, it is desirable for thecorrection of the running carriage 3 to be performed when the drawer isopened, since on opening the drawer is moved manually at full force andthe resistance of the running carriage 3 when the correction is made isnot noticeable.

FIGS. 17 a to 17 e show a one-part rocker 17 that is constructed in onepiece and is not acted upon by a spring. In the example embodimentshown, the pull-out rail 2 moves to the left. A movement sequence with arunning carriage 3 error is shown.

The rocker 17 meets the tab 19 (FIG. 17 b). Because it is rigid andcannot fold together, and because it abuts against the horizontal web 2′of the pull-out rail 2, the rocker 17 cannot rotate. The runningcarriage 3 is therefore coupled to the support rail 1 and remainsstationary until the pull-out rail 2 has been moved far enough to theleft for the opening 50 to make it possible for the rocker 17 to pivot.This happens at the moment when the running carriage 3 is in the correctrunning position in relation to the rails 1, 2.

It is an essential part of the invention that the position of therunning carriage 3 in relation to the rails 1, 2 is always correctedbetween the two end positions of the pull-out rail 2, in other words notdirectly as the drawer is finally closed and the latter is pulled intothe furniture carcass by a pull-in device.

FIGS. 18 and 19 show an embodiment where a central rail 27 is providedbetween the pull-out rail 2 and the support rail 1. One running carriage3 is positioned between the pull-out rail 2 and the central rail 27 andone running carriage 3 between the central rail 27 and the support rail1. Correction of the position of the running carriages 3 is achieved inthe same way as in the embodiments described before. The only differenceis that the interaction takes place between the pull-out rail 2 and thecentral rail 27, and the central rail 27 and the support rail 1respectively and not between the pull-out rail 2 and the support rail 1.

1. A pull-out guide assembly for drawers, having on both sides of thedrawer a support rail on the carcass and a pull-out rail on the drawer,with the load of the drawer being transmitted between the rails byrollers that are borne in running carriages running between the railsbetween a front end position and a rear end position in differentialmanner, with the running carriages being provided with locking means,wherein, in the event of a deviation from the differential runningbetween the rails and the running carriages, the locking means lock therunning carriages on one of the rails at predetermined points betweentheir two end positions, with this locking being releasable by themovement of the rails with respect to one another.
 2. A pull-out guideassembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each running carriage isprovided with two locking means that lock said running carriage inopposing directions.
 3. A pull-out guide assembly as claimed in claim 1,wherein the locking means are formed by levers that are mountedrotatably on the running carriages.
 4. A pull-out guide assembly asclaimed in claim 3, wherein the levers are constructed as double-armlevers.
 5. A pull-out guide assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein thelevers abut against projections on the rails.
 6. A pull-out guideassembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the levers are acted upon bysprings.
 7. A pull-out guide assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein thelevers are arranged laterally offset with respect to the rollers in thedirection in which the respective running carriage runs.
 8. A pull-outguide assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the levers have angledends.
 9. A pull-out guide assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein thelevers are rotatable about horizontal axis pins.
 10. A pull-out guideassembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking means are formed byresilient arms that project horizontally from the running carriages inthe direction of movement, the arm of a running carriage abuts against astop of a rail on locking, and a second rail is provided with acounter-stop that abuts against the projecting arm of the runningcarriage on locking and so prevents deflection of the arm with respectto the stop on the first rail.
 11. A pull-out guide assembly as claimedin claim 10, wherein the arms are provided at their free ends with lugsthat abut against the stops of the first rails on locking.
 12. Apull-out guide assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein a locking meansis active in each case between two rails, with one of the rails having astop and the other rail having a deflection means for the locking means.13. A pull-out guide assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein thedeflection means is formed by an opening in a horizontal web of therail.
 14. A pull-out guide assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein thestop on one of the rails is formed by a horizontal tab.
 15. A pull-outguide assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking means areformed by rockers that are borne tiltably on the running carriages andhave two stop faces that abut against a stop of one of the rails in theevent of a running carriage deviating from the differential runningbetween the rails.
 16. A pull-out guide assembly as claimed in claim 13,wherein the stop on one of the rails is formed by an edge of theopening.
 17. A pull-out guide assembly as claimed in claim 15, whereinthe tiltable rockers are deformable.
 18. A pull-out guide assembly asclaimed in claim 15, wherein the tiltable rockers are formed by twoparts connected to one another in articulated manner, in which a stopface is constructed on each of the parts.
 19. A pull-out guide assemblyas claimed in claim 18, wherein a first part is tiltably borne on therunning carriage by means of an axis pin and the second part is tiltablyborne on the first part by means of an axis pin.
 20. A pull-out guideassembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein one of the stop faces of therocker is constructed to be concave and one stop face is constructed tobe convex.
 21. A pull-out guide assembly as claimed in claim 1, whereina central rail is arranged between said support rail and said pull-outrail with a running carriage running between said support rail and saidcentral rail and another running carriage running between said centralrail and said pull-out rail.